Happy New Year from the HHFL team!

Posted by Ted Horton On January 12, 2012 · Filed Under Activities · Comment 

Written by Ted Horton

On behalf of Hanne and everyone at HHFL, I would like to wish you all a very happy new year! The December school break that brought all the kids home to the project has come and gone and the kids are now largely sorted and back in school.  It was an extremely busy month and now that we’ve settled somewhat into our 2012 rhythm, we’d love to share with you what we’ve been up to. Here is a snapshop of some recent activities:

Christmas Pageant/Musical

The Christmas pageant /musical that Hanne produced and directed with the help of our art, music and drama teachers and a cast of 130+ kids was a big hit. All the costumes and props were made from scratch. Definitely a kaleidoscope of color and a sight to behold. Equally important—it was performed without a hitch to the delight of all on December 23rd!! We filmed the whole production with the help of a local videographer so stay tuned for the video, which will be available online shortly.

Boxing Day Lunch

Thanks to the generosity of one of our faithful supporters, our hostel kids were treated to a Boxing Day lunch at a local venue again this year. Good food, great fun and entertainment! Hanne and I always enjoy this event very much – it’s heart warming to see the children having such fun.

Back to school activities

We have been really busy sorting the kids’ schooling. Interviewing all the primary and secondary school kids, with their report cards in hand, took a lot of time but proved to be very worthwhile. A few of the older students are really struggling and it’s time to change gears to vocational training –it’s a better solution for them, rather than continuing to struggle with formal education. Most of our high school kids are performing well but can still improve—high marks will give them the best chance at post secondary education. One on ones also gave Hanne and I the opportunity to impart a few words of wisdom and encouragement. We still have a couple of schools to visit this week. We find that face to face meetings make a difference.

Saturday Morning Program

Our first Saturday morning program in 2012 was busy with Art, Drama and Computers. The Christmas pageant costumes now provide a very colorful backdrop in the dining area.

Wishing you all a terrific 2012. Ted

We can make it big too!

Posted by Mercy On January 3, 2012 · Filed Under Activities · Comment 

Written by Gabriel Lando & Mercy Achieng

“WE CAN MAKE IT BIG TOO’…this was our motto this specific day. On 10th December 2011 some of the HHFL art members embarked on a trip that made some of us realize our hidden talents and dreams. Not only did we notice that, we also got motivated that we are all capable of doing great things no matter how hard the start might appear.

We gathered at the HHFL grounds exactly at eight o’clock ready to start the fabulous day! We could clearly see envy on the faces of the other kids; very unfortunate that not all of them could go. Our first stop was Gallery Watatu – they support and promote contemporary African art and was founded by three English men; Jonny Waite, Robin Anderson and David Hart. The name ‘Watatu’-meaning ‘THREE’ in Swahili refers to the three founders.

We were warmly welcomed by Mr. Kofi Osegi from Ghana, the Managing Director of Gallery Watatu. He spoke with this accent that we all found humorous. He showed us around the gallery and the art we saw was marvelous! We also noticed how well organized and planned the gallery was; the pictures neatly hung on the wall, everything in place and very attractive – maybe that’s why the gallery is well known around Nairobi. Now we know why Mama Hanne frequently insists on good planning!

We later had a talk from Mr. Kofi. He emphasized that we all should work hard at what we are best at. Everyone was all ears, could a fly pass right in front of their faces, no one would even notice!

Our next stop was at Kuona Trust. We were introduced to the ushers at the gate who informed us that it was an Open Day for the organization, showcasing samples of art by skilled youth. Everyone was given entry tickets.

Kuona Trust is a non-profit organization that supports many upcoming artists in Kenya. What really caught our attention was their motto: ADVANCING THE SKILLS AND OPPORTUNITIES OF CONTEMPORARY VISUAL ARTISTS TO CREATE INNOVATIVE WORLD CLASS ART IN KENYA. We thought; ‘surely are we those artists they are referring to?’

We visited different stalls where the artists presented their art. What we majorly noticed is that the majority of artists were youth; both male and female. So that was a learning point! The MC of the day had a basket full of tickets that resembled the ones we had. She was to pick any ticket at random and the owner of the number picked was to get a prize. TENSION! FINGERS CROSSED! BREATHING HARD!

‘Could it be mine?’…help me Lord! This was everyone’s prayer. ‘Ticket number 54’…oh no. Not mine. ‘Neither is it mine….Too bad!’ But wait a minute, that’s the number on Sharon’s’ ticket! GO! GO! GO! Bravo! You just got yourself lucky. Sharon, one of our own, got a prize of an enormous flower – colour paint on hard canvas material. The framed picture was so big and we all stormed the stage just to hold our prize. A GLORIOUS MOMENT FOR HANNEHOWARDFUND!

All smiles, jolly faces and heads high…is that the spirit we should maintain? Definitely. We also got entertained by the theatre company but we realized we are better than them – they should watch this space!

‘Day gone’. We had to say goodbye as it was time to rush home. Hooray! We have this prize with us and more are to come! That’s why we are sticking to our motto: WE TOO CAN MAKE IT BIG!

Our Holiday Gift Cards are available online now!

Posted by Alexandra Howard On November 18, 2011 · Filed Under Uncategorized · Comment 

Gift your loved ones with an HHFL Gift Card this holiday season!

You will be purchasing much needed items, such as textbooks, semester fees or uniforms for our children. Gift Cards can be sent directly to the recipient or to you to give personally. All cards include the option to write both the recipient’s and the giver’s name.

We have nine Gift Cards ranging from $5 to $300 available for purchase on our website. Each card features a special holiday illustration, hand drawn exclusively for you by the kids in the project. 100% of the proceeds go directly to benefit the HHFL children.

And for gifts above $40, we’ll send you more than one gift card so you can spread your holiday generosity among your friends and family!

A perfect (and most helpful) gift!

CLICK TO BUY YOUR HOLIDAY GIFT CARDS TODAY

Hanne’s 2011 Update Letter

Posted by Hanne Howard On September 12, 2011 · Filed Under Education · Comment 

To our dear donor and supporters,

What a journey these past 5 years have been! From the get-go I want you to know that without your support the HHFL story could never have been this successful. The fantastic stories of hope and success on our website are proving that we are truly making a difference! Our kids are growing up with education and are making choices for themselves. We hope that we can continue counting on your support as the future of these kids depends on it.  With the continued escalating education costs as they get older, we urgently need to find new levels of support to expand our sponsorship program. Please help us by spreading the word and creating awareness among your circle of friends and family. We have made terrific progress made over the past year, particularly in the area of education. Ted and I thought it would be a nice idea to share with you on a more personal level where the project stands and how our kids are performing in school.

In the last 2 years HHFL’s face has changed greatly.   Our kids are growing up en masse!   What a surprise awaited us last November upon our arrival.   The compound was teeming with gorgeous girls and big muscular guys.  For a moment I thought we had knocked on the wrong door!  This is when my light bulb went on and I realized the danger of “the pyramid effect” which my dear friend and supporter, John MacDonald tried to teach me back in 2006.   It was a panic attack type of moment, I can tell you that!  The good news is that it taught me instantly to remain lean and mean at the bottom, meaning no intake for the time being!  I promise.

Right now over 60% of our kids (52) are in high school, which means “muchos $$$$”.  Though run by the Government, these schools do not come cheaply.  It costs an average of $1200 to keep a child in one of these boarding institutions.   You make the math!   The kids are excelling with over 50% in the A and B category – with their sights set on college or university. Success, in this case, is expensive but this is what makes HHFL such a compelling and successful story.   There are precious few organizations that offer slum children a complete package, which we believe will truly lead to self-reliance.  This is at the core of HHFL’s mandate.

Presently we have 3 attending vocational school, 1 in University and 2 in College.  Two are self-reliant and recently moved out of the Hostel.  November 2011 will give us 3 more graduates, all of them A & B+ students, and 2012-2015 will give us an average of 16 graduates a year – the pyramid effect in full swing! University/College costs between $2,500 and $5,000 per child per year.  Only first class higher education coupled with the invaluable teachings of Ted’s current affairs class will ensure that our kids are harnessed to the wagon of change and accountability that is emerging in Kenya.    Tall order you say, but we know it is possible, the HHFL kids have proven this to us!

Our last 6 months in Nairobi were a huge success and much progress was attained.   Ted and I are very busy and determined to make the project totally self-reliant.  With that in mind, we finally accepted the fact that we needed a professional Operations Manager.   Catherine, a Kenyan Citizen, who holds a diploma in Human Resources, a BA in Community Development and a MBA in Strategic Management from the University of Nairobi joined us at the beginning of January 2011.   Though still in training, she is proving to be a great asset to our little organization.   From the stories below and our website in general, you get a pretty good idea of what your dollars or euros are helping us achieve. Without your support none of it would have been possible.  Therefore, I am not going to dwell on it, but I would like to take a minute to thank my biggest ally and partner in crime (so to speak).   Big kudos have to go to my daughter, Alexandrita who does all the high tech stuff, manages our newly installed donor management system, helps with the daily admin, manages our website, and listens to me, especially during high stress time (which in this business are frequent!).  Asante sana, Chiquita!

We hope that we can continue counting on your support to properly finish what we started.  The future of these kids depends on it.   With the continued escalating education costs as they get older, we urgently need to find new levels of support to expand our sponsorship program (our circle is exhausted!).    You might be able to further help them by spreading the word and creating awareness amongst your circle of friends and family.    Our foster family program is proving to be a wonderful way of ensuring financial stability for the fund.  We invite you to take a look at our list of available children to sponsor on our website.

Cheers and happy days, we love you all and invite you to come and see for yourselves and visit us in Nairobi!

Hanne and Ted

Art Education during the August holidays!

Posted by Hanne Howard On September 10, 2011 · Filed Under Activities · Comment 

Our 2011 August holiday program was a huge pleasure as it gave both Ted and I not only reason to celebrate, but it also boosted our optimism. Self-reliance seems to finally be on the way!

Our Art Department run by Duncan invited “MASK” (The Mobile Art School of Kenya) to join forces and bring new ideas and concepts through a series of workshops led by John Githiri, a very talented fine Arts graduate of the University of Nairobi. All 130 children participated. The success, enthusiasm and new energy these workshops brought to the entire program were palpable in every single way.

The art activities included: oil painting, drawing, embroidery, paper work, dress making, coloring of fabric, batik and bead making. Dressmaking was a huge success and advice was given on such matters as coloring the background fabric, transferring a design, and how to use embroidery to hoop or frame. Kids also had fun learning how to do stage make-up in preparation for the catwalks where our young girls modeled their creations. Our bigger boys had fun building a huge “turtle litter bin” which now proudly graces our compound encouraging all to keep our home clean!

Word from Martin, head of our computer lab and computer teacher Susan is that the kids had a fantastic and very productive month as well. Arts and Crafts and Computers are the absolute preferred subjects of the HHFL kids. Aside from typing, which at my request, is compulsory on a daily basis the children (age dependent) started learning to work with photos, power points and film production. Cameras donated by Ted Friesen were in great demand! Apparently, some of the bigger kids demonstrated great talent in this new endeavor.

Catherine, our new Project Manager, told us about the “Banana Information Desk” that was created at her suggestion to collect data and information from the children. This turned into one of those big success stories creating additional buzz, motivation and inspiration in our young.

Here are excerpts of the interviews done by the “Banana Information Desk”:

“We were divided into groups named after fruits: Apple, Pears, Pineapple, Orange, Banana, and Watermelon. Each group was assigned a particular project but we all participated in all the projects. The Banana Group were given the task of gathering information. So we set up an information desk in one corner of our compound and we called it ‘The Banana Information Desk’. Our desk was open to all and we interviewed those who came to us”.

Maxwell Wachira (Pear) says about making a Football Money bank: “I like the idea of an improvised money bank because it encourages one to save and keep the money! “

Asha Kiza and Albanas Mbuvi (Mango) about paper beads making: “We learned a new skill to make beautiful objects for sale which we can be used to put up a business and employ many people “.

Paul Njoroge and Beatrice Wamaithat (Pineapple) about fabric work and design: “We learned that we all are good at different things. Some are good at tie and dye, others at cutting fabric and others in stitching and that is why it is good to work as a team in a group”.

James Okwemba (Watermelon) Artwork in warm and cool colors: “ The biggest challenge for me was getting to understand the effects and differentiating the many colors/shades. Shortage of materials was a challenge at times”.

Wesley Adori and James Okwemba (Orange) – Windows movie maker & Power Point Presentations – We loved learning and working with the Windows Movie Maker Program. We are working with existing HHFL photos to prepare a PowerPoint to present at Christmas. We are hoping to master this art to aid Mama Hanne in her fund raising efforts!

“The desk collected a lot of information which we handed over to Teacher Catherine. Our interviews showed that everyone had lots of fun, that everybody enjoyed all the activities and appreciated all the new things they learned and were exposed to. We are already looking forward to the Christmas holiday in anticipation to the new and creative new things awaiting us. We say kudos to all our teachers for making it interesting for us and to our benefactors for making it possible. Thank you to everyone for your participation and we wish you all a successful 3rd term!”

This is the reward! And it warms my heart, I hope it does yours! Hanne

To view more pictures of our art work please visit our Facebook page!

Our Scouts create HHFL’s first ever vegetable garden!

Posted by Alexandra Howard On August 7, 2011 · Filed Under Activities · Comment 

At first we thought only flowers can be grown in our project. Jackson, our Scout teacher brought some seeds during our April program and announced to us the good news that we were going to make HHFL’s first ever vegetable shamba (garden)! We learned that this would be a good way of growing our own healthy food and helping with the cost of providing food for our children.

We began by sawing the seeds of different type of vegetables. We began with three types namely; Sukuma wiki (kales), spinach, and Managu (traditional vegetables). The first step was making seed beds because we learned that the vegetables needed special care in a nursery before they are transplanted to the garden. We made three big
ones and then fenced around them to make sure nobody stepped on the growing seedlings. We had to water the seedlings every day for them to grow and not to dry up.

After two weeks, it was time to transplant the seedlings to the garden. Our teacher told us that we were going to use materials which do not cost us money. We collected soil in the forest near our project and also manure. These are useless materials in the forest, but now we were making them useful!

We also went to Jackson’s home whose grandmother gave us permission to collect manure from her farm. While some collected the manure, others were busy collecting red soil at the forest. Others got into the forest to gather some sticks for fencing and grass for putting around the seedlings after transplanting.

Because we do not have a very large space for our garden, we improvised some sacks. We filled the sacks with soil and planted the seedlings on them! This was a new thing for us and we were happy because we were able to plant as many vegetables as possible. This project is teaching us a lot of things which we did not know because many of us have no shambas at home.

Since we planted the seedlings we have been taking good care of them and very soon we will be harvesting healthy vegetables to be cooked in our kitchen. If the harvest is plenty, we can also think of selling to other people!! For sure there are many more things to learn in scouting and we love it!!

First signs of self reliance

Posted by Alexandra Howard On August 7, 2011 · Filed Under Children's Corner · Comment 

Written by Hanne Howard

18 year old Dismas, an HHFL hostel resident for the last 5 years, graduated successfully from welding school in June 2010, after which he apprenticed for 6 months with Dakins Metal Works until December 2010. After this, Mama Hanne and the HHFL staff deemed him ready to move out on his own. It took a little bit of pushing and shoving, but finally in April 2011 the big move took place. We all watched with nostalgia and trepidation as our first duckling flew the scoop.

Martin, our teenager’s counselor keeps an eye on him and his reports are shining. Dismas not only keeps a tidy and very clean room, but also appears very house-proud. His transition has been very easy and has set a very positive tone for the future. He surprised us even further by offering to take on the responsibility of sharing his room with 20-year-old Grison, who due to his age had to be moved out of the Hostel. Grison is a somewhat challenged orphan who has lived in the HHFL hostel for over 5 years. He is presently learning to be a welder and loving it. Dismas has turned out to be a wonderful big brother and amazing role model.

Dismas is discovering that life ‘on the outside’ can be tough, but he realizes that he is luckier than most as he still counts with the support of HHFL. He has not been able to find
a permanent job, but has been lucky enough to find enough occasional employment allowing him to take care of most of his financial responsibilities. He saves every extra penny, as he is hoping to eventually open his own welding shop. Stay tuned!

These are the success stories that you, our dear donors, are helping us create. Without your financial assistance, HHFL would not exist and these children would not have had a chance in life! They have choices thanks to you all! Asante Sana, once again.

You are all invited, come visit us, meet our children and see for yourself! We are proud of what we are achieving together!

Wings of Support invites HHFL to participate in Management workshop

Posted by Alexandra Howard On July 20, 2011 · Filed Under Education · Comment 

Written by Catherine Chepkirui, HHFL’s Project Manager in Nairobi

Wings of Support (WOS), a private initiative run by KLM staff, recently invited HHFL to participate in a terrific 3-day Leadership and Management Training workshop in Nairobi. The training workshop was organized for managers from various partner organizations of WOS. Two of my staff members, Duncan and Lucy (both HHFL managers), were invited to participate as well.

The workshop was a great learning experience for us and one of huge benefit to HHFL. It gave us the opportunity to reflect on our mission as an organization, and how as leaders in our various capacities, we can contribute effectively to our long-term goals. To Duncan, the training was an ‘eye-opener’ and in Lucy’s own words, ‘she was highly enlightened’ as far as leadership and management is concerned.

As HHFL’s project manager and team leader, the workshop helped me think more about sustainability. I think focusing on community participation is essential. We must involve our beneficiaries in the planning and implementation of our project activities. It is also important to identify local resources and ways in which these resources can be mobilized. A group of our kids just undertook training in Beekeeping and they are considering starting their own beekeeping project by utilizing Ngong Forest, which is a natural resource in our neighbourhood. We are encouraging the community and our children to come up with similar homegrown ideas, which will contribute to sustainability.

The workshop also brought us together with many like-minded organizations. We had a fruitful interaction and sharing of ideas at a very personal level. We are planning to have joined activities for the children with some of these organizations, especially during long school holidays. We are looking forward to staying connected so that we may share with, learn from, and support one another.

We are very grateful to WOS for equipping us further through this invaluable training. Thank you for inviting us to participate!

Wings of Support is a private initiative run by KLM and Martinair staff. They are wonderful supporters of HHFL and provided funds for the water and bathroom installation. To read more about WOS, please visit www.wingsofsupport.org/en/

Congrats to Ngina for passing the first University CPA exam!

Posted by Hanne Howard On July 20, 2011 · Filed Under Education · Comment 

We are very proud and excited to share with you that on June 30th, Emily Ngina sat for her first CPA (Certified Public Accountant) exam at Strathmore University in Nairobi Kenya. This exam, otherwise known as Section One, covered Financial Accounting, Introduction to Law, Entrepeneurship and Communications.

We have just received word that she has passed!

Well done Ngina, we are very proud of you. Keep up the great work.

Hanne and Ted

Beekeeping workshop inspires entrepeneurial thoughts

Posted by Alexandra Howard On July 20, 2011 · Filed Under Activities · Comment 

Written by Alice Adhiambo, HHFL high school graduate, November 2010

The HHFL school holiday programs are getting better and better. For me, the addition of a beekeeping workshop offered by the National Beekeeping Center was the icing on the cake. The list of hopeful participants for this one-week workshop far exceeded the available capacity. To my delight I was one of the lucky 14 chosen participants.

The first two days were spent in the classroom learning about these very interesting and absolutely essential little insects to our ecosystem. We learned the difference between bee types and the function of a bee colony. It was a most interesting and a wonderful experience as before, we were afraid of bees as we thought of them only as stinging little pests!

The second part of the classroom teaching was about the creation and management of an apiary. We found the entire concept fascinating and could not wait to get into the woods to witness the “miracle” of honey production for ourselves.

We all donned protective gear and marched into the woods in search of the “apiary”. This was truly awesome to us and we were salivating with anticipation. I have to confess that the thought of getting our hands on this delicious delicacy made our mouths water! You see, we do not get luxuries like these often. But first, we realized we were expected to harvest the honey and for this we had to get close and personal with the bees that we feared. Some of us got stung for sure, but with the guidance of our teacher and the help of the smoking torches we managed to harvest 18kgs of honey! This apparently is a remarkable amount for a starter group. Even the head of the station was surprised and congratulated us. As a prize and to our delight, we got to sample our take immediately. It was divine, delicious and totally extravagant as we were allowed to eat honey by the spoon full.

Then came the complicated part, the processing room. It was hard, but after a while we understood the concept and were able to help with the processing, bottling and making of the various products. We learned that honey is wonderful medicine as it has antibiotic properties. We helped make a cold remedy, which the ones amongst us with colds and coughs got to sample, regaining our health immediately! Then to our further amazement, we learned that the beeswax is used to make a range of wonderful and very useful products. We made lovely candles and a nice body lotion, which we got to take home.

Maybe I too can make luxurious health and body products from beeswax and sell them one day? Hmm.

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